Welcome back!
Valley Jazz Festival returns to the streets, cafes, bars and concert stages of Fortitude Valley and surrounds. Our program of events is growing from year to year and we welcome some new venues into the fold as we expand all the way down Brunswick St. This year we are proud to offer more concert settings then ever before as well as more gigs on the street. The line up of talent from Queensland and interstate has come together in a spectacular program of events.
This year we’ve commissioned four jazz composers to write works that celebrate the 150th anniversary of Queensland - the VJF’s first commissions and world premiere performances. The Valley Jazz Festival wouldn’t happen without the extraordinary talent and creativity of the musicians alongside the generous support of the Brisbane City Council, Queensland Government, Australian Government and all of the venues and companies that contribute their time, efforts and services.
Enjoy live music responsibly – without moderation!
Andrew Shaw
Artistic Director
Mark Isaacs Resurgence Band 'Tell it Like It Is' CD Launch
Mark Isaacs is one of Australia’s most distinguished musicians in jazz and classical music. He has toured the world and collaborated with some of the most famous names in international jazz. Following tours in Asia and around Australia in 2007/08 the 5-piece Resurgence Band appears as part of a national tour in May to celebrate the release of their new CD Tell It Like It Is by the ABC.
Saturday 16 May 7:30 - 9:00 Read More...
Friday night Jazz Special
Featuring WAY OUT WEST (Melbourne), Peter Knight’s highly acclaimed world-jazz group with a unique and alluring sound, which blends Vietnamese and African influences with jazz, followed by a high-energy jazz experience with the Toby Wren Quartet featuring the amazing Jamie Oehlers on tenor saxophone.
Friday 15 May 7:30 - 9:50 More...
Double Latin Extravaganza featuring Latin Vibe + The View From Madeleine's Couch CD LAUNCH
Latin Vibe and The View From Madeleine's Couch will perform in this unique double bill, presenting an energetic evening featuring an array of styles from Afro-Cuban grooves to a unique OzBrazilian fusion. In celebration of TVFMC CD Launch, guests will be treated to a surprise performance of the rarely heard pairing of vibes and marimba, as the two mallet men of each band join forces to create mallet mayhem.
Thursday 14 May 7:00 - 9:30 More...
Q150 COMPOSERS WORLD PREMIERE
This event features the world premiere performance of a new work commissioned by Jazz Queensland for the Q150 celebration. The Abbreviations Orchestra will perform the compositions and arrangements of Andrew Garton showcasing some of Brisbane's finest emerging jazz musicians. Laura Kahle and Rafael Karlen will premiere new works, brimming with rich harmonic textures and stunning melodic inventions performed by the West End Composers Collective.
Saturday 16 May 2:00 - 4:00 More...
Turbine Jazz Launch From Sat 16 May 09
Jazz Qld unveils an innovative sector stimulus project that will curate a series of high quality live music programs including Turbine Jazz – a series of free public concerts every 3rd Saturday of the month at Brisbane Powerhouse.
More...
Opening night - Elixir
Headlining the 2009 Valley Jazz Festival, Elixir features the inimitable Katie Noonan, master guitarist Stephen Magnusson and superb tenor saxophonist Zac Hurren. Elixir emanates music that feels free and pure capturing the heart and mind through their joyful inventiveness and purity of sound.
Tuesday 12 May 6:00 - 6:45 More...
Featuring multi award winning Julien Wilson Trio
Saxophonist and composer Julien Wilson has been a distinctive voice on the Australian jazz scene for the last decade. He has been awarded Australia's two most prestigious jazz prizes, the National Jazz Award and the Freedman Fellowship for Jazz, and has contributed to many recordings with Australia's leading jazz groups including The Australian Art Orchestra and Ishish.
Wednesday 13 May 7:30 - 10:10 More..
Closing Night Grand Finale - Ten Part Invention + The Carnatic Jazz Experiment
The Valley Jazz Festival is pleased to present a special double bill, featuring Australia’s most innovative and exciting contemporary jazz ensemble Ten Part Invention whos members constitute a substantial part of Australian modern jazz history, led by Australian jazz icon John Pochée. The Closing night event will also feature the world premiere performance of Toby Wrens' Carnatic Jazz Experiment, commissioned by Jazz Queensland as part of the the Q150 celebrations.
Sunday 17 May 7:00 - 9:15 More...
FESTIVAL COCKTAIL PARTY Macklin - Newcomb Duo + Melissa Western
The official Valley Jazz Festival 2009 Cocktail Party, will feature the innovative sounds of the Hannah Macklin & Steve Newcomb Duo, followed by the mischievous minx Melissa Western, performning her sultry jazz-cabaret chanteuse style with band members Tnee Dyer, Jeremy O'Conner and Rich Seymour. Bookings Recommended!
Wednesday 13 May 8:00 - 10:25 More...
612 ABC Brisbane - Valley Jazz Festival Vocalist Award 2009
The 612 ABC Brisbane - Valley Jazz Festival Vocalist Award Winner will be announced on 612 ABC Brisbane at the award ceremony presented by Vince Jones Patron, on Tuesday 12th May 2009 6pm at the Brisbane Powerhouse Turbine Platform as part of the Valley Jazz Festival 2009.
Tuesday 12 May 6:00 - 6:45 More..
Festival After Party with The Glyn MacDonald Trio
Join Jazz Queensland to celebrate the closing of the Valley Jazz Festival 2009 at the official festival after party featuring great Australian jazz musicians Glyn MacDonald, Pete Jeavons and Michael Perkins. From classical through to latin, and coupled with a knack for infectious toe-tappin’ swing, their collective works rest comfortably on a bed of groove-oriented originality. Sunday 17 May 9:30 - 11:30 More...
Featured Audio
Keep the player open in a new window |
Festival Events
- Tuesday | 6:00 pm 612 ABC Brisbane - Valley Jazz Festival Vocalist Award
- Tuesday | 7:00 pm Elixir - Opening Night
- Tuesday | 8:30 pm Soundscapes
- Tuesday | 9:00 pm Ubique Trio
- Tuesday | 9:30 pm Miguel
- Tuesday | 9:30 pm Trevor Hart Quartet
- Wednesday | 7:30 pm Julien Wilson Trio + The Subterraneans (Double Bill)
- Wednesday | 8:00 pm Kristen Haynes & Adam Oscar Storey
- Wednesday | 8:00 pm FESTIVAL COCKTAIL PARTY Macklin - Newcomb Duo + Melissa Western
- Wednesday | 8:30 pm Ingrid James & East Coast Ensemble
- Wednesday | 8:30 pm Jazz Australis
- Wednesday | 9:30 pm LDG Latin!
- Wednesday | 9:30 pm The Bowery Hot 5 with Mal Wood
- Thursday | 7:00 pm Latin Vibe + The View From Madeleine's Couch
- Thursday | 8:00 pm Ingrid James & John Reeves Duo
- Thursday | 8:30 pm Damian Sim Quintet
- Thursday | 8:30 pm Wiley Reed Band
- Thursday | 9:30 pm Shannon Marshall and The Twenty Buck Dessert
- Thursday | 9:45 pm The Mute Canary Project
- Friday | 5:30 pm Jose McLaughlin's Nu Group
- Friday | 7:30 pm Way Out West + Toby Wren Quartet featuring Jamie Oehlers
- Friday | 8:30 pm Renae Suttie and the Swing Collective
- Friday | 9:45 pm Gemma Turvey Trio
- Saturday | 10:00 am The Talkin Jazz Allstars
- Saturday | 11:10 am AZUL 3
- Saturday | 11:30 am Lauren Lucille Trio
- Saturday | 12:00 pm Chris Poulsen Trio
- Saturday | 12:20 pm Michael Knopf
- Saturday | 1:30 pm Big Bara Boom Beating System (aka 4BS)
- Saturday | 2:00 pm Abbreviations Orchestra + West End Composers Collective : Q150 COMPOSERS WORLD PREMIERE
- Saturday | 2:30 pm Caxton Street Jazz Band
- Saturday | 3:00 pm Gemma Turvey Trio
- Saturday | 4:00 pm Irene Bartlett / Lisa Ryan-McLaughlin :TURBINE JAZZ - JQ CONCERT SERIES LAUNCH
- Saturday | 7:30 pm Mark Isaacs Resurgence Band
- Saturday | 8:30 pm Glyn MacDonald Trio
- Saturday | 9:45 pm Trio Apoplectic CD LAUNCH
- Sunday | 10:00 am Herb Armstrong and the Royal Street Krewe
- Sunday | 11:10 am David Galea and the "BassBoy Band"
- Sunday | 11:30 am Organ Grinder
- Sunday | 12:00 pm Delta Trio
- Sunday | 12:20 pm Jeff Usher: The Keyboard Kat
- Sunday | 1:30 pm Trio Apoplectic
- Sunday | 2:00 pm Qld Conservatorium Emerging Artists
- Sunday | 2:00 pm Timbah
- Sunday | 3:00 pm The Kate Wighton/Dave Spicer Project
- Sunday | 5:00 pm Jazz Australia - website relaunch (cancelled)
- Sunday | 7:00 pm Ten Part Invention + The Carnatic Jazz Experiment Q150 COMPOSERS WORLD PREMIERE
- Sunday | 9:30 pm Festival after party with Glyn MacDonald Trio
